Review: BLUE & GOLD #2
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Ryan Sook
Colours: Ryan Sook
Letters: Rob Leigh
Reviewed By: Derek McNeil
Summary
Blue & Gold #2: Who needs the Justice League anyway? Our heroes certainly don’t! After a painful rejection from the DC Universe’s team of a-list heroes, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle strike out on their own. Thanks to the Kord Industries fortune, anything is possible for this dynamic duo…right? Little do they know, an alien assassin seeking revenge places Blue and Gold in her crosshairs, and The Omnizon never misses!
Positives
Blue & Gold #2 opens with Blue Beetle having to save Booster Gold’s fat from the fire. That seems to be a recurring theme with this duo. Booster’s impulsiveness gets them into trouble, requiring Ted’s inventiveness to get them back out of trouble. However, Booster’s impulsiveness balances out Beetle’s cautiousness, giving him a needed push to step outside his comfort zone. The two heroes make a such a great team, not due to their similarities, but because they complement each other.
Dan Jurgens is doing a great job of demonstrating this. Ted admits that he has self-confidence issues, but that Booster makes up for that lack. He relates in his narration, “When it comes to all this superhero stuff… I’m not the best there is. I mean, I’m okay and all… but it’s generally best that I work alone and handle low-level stuff… Since confidence isn’t exactly at the top of my skill set. I was fine with it. Working with Booster covers that because he has enough for both of us. Usually too much to be honest”.
The duo was used to great comic effect in the Giffen Justice League era, but there is a danger that a writer might not give them any depth beneath the humour. But Dan Jurgens is too good a writer to make that mistake. While there is a lot of humour in the story, we are getting a feeling for the deep and abiding friendship between the two heroes. The story has certainly illuminated Ted’s feelings and why their friendship matters to him. The story hasn’t done so for Booster yet, but there are still six issues left to do so.
Beetle’s airship, the Bug, got destroyed last issue. But Ted’s managed to put together a new vehicle to rescue Booster with: a dune buggy appropriately named the Buggy. Booster immediately recognizes the merchandising possibilities for it, and I have to admit that it would make a great toy. But overall, I think I prefer the Bug.
Positives Cont.
However, Ted might have to make do with the Buggy, as he receives some bad news from the Board of Kord Industries. Not only do they fire him as CEO, but they inform him that they don’t even want his services as an inventor and engineer. In short, they no longer want any association with him at all.
This pretty much sinks his plans for Kord Industries to sponsor Blue & Gold Restoration, a “superhero services company”. Unfortunately, Booster jumps the gun and announces this venture before Ted can tell him that they don’t have the sponsorship. So, they are committed to a new business venture with no funding sponsor. Plus, Booster has announced that their services will be provided free. So, their business appears doomed unless they can find another sponsor.
I find it interesting that Ted’s situation is very similar to Batman. In the Batman books, Bruce Wayne has also been removed from the company that bears his family name. Given that Bruce Wayne is know to be a talented inventor of cutting-edge technology in his own right, perhaps Ted and Bruce should partner in their own new tech company.
Even though Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are often considered lightweight superheroes, they have two of the coolest costumes in the DCU. And they look absolutely fantastic as rendered by Ryan Sook. The art is so good, I’d almost be happy just to admire the artwork, but luckily there’s a great story to read while doing so.
Negatives
I have no complaints. Although it’s a light-hearted story, it’s also got some depth to it. Dan Jurgens knows how to deliver a solid story.
Verdict
Blue & Gold #2 is another great issue of Dan Jurgens’ great buddy superhero story. I’m happy that DC’s Infinite Frontier lineup features titles like this that have a lighter tone, but still have a lot of heart.
